Important Memories
by Wrath Of Fire
Summary: Deidara wakes up with no memory of who he previously was. He finds a place he can call home, but his dreams haunt him with information of his past. Does he stay here with his new friends... or go back to who he was? Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

The man's eye opened to blue sky.

Brushing his blond locks out of his face, he looked around. Where was this? He did not know how he had gotten here. In fact, he couldn't remember anything. Well, of course, he remembered how to breathe. Shakily standing up, he saw that he remembered how to stand.

"Hello, hmm?" he said, and proved that he remembered how to talk. Well… three things right there. But everything else was a blank. How old was he? What was his name? And why did his hands itch?

He inspected them, finding them normal… until the palms opened up, revealing mouths, which grinned. He screamed, tumbling backwards, and heard the pitter pattering of feet coming towards him. Three figures appeared: a girl, and two men.

"Oh! It's a traveler." The girl said, running over. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"My hands… my hands, hmm!" he cried, showing her. The girl frowned when she saw the mouths.

"Is this a genjutsu? I'll try and dispel it…" she said, and made a few crazy signs with her hands. The men watched with interest.

"Whoa. Crazy, it's not a genjutsu. But you'd think somebody would know if they had mouths on their hands. What's your name, traveler?"

"I… I don't know…" he whispered. He racked his brain for an answer to the question, but none came.

"Well, that helps. You have amnesia, traveler."

"Huh?"

The girl laughed. "It means that you can't remember a lot of things… like, what your name is, or where you were born. Usually it's only temporary, but, for now… you should find a place to stay. Do you have one?"

"No. I just woke up here… and I don't know where I am." The man whispered, looking around. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Fire Country, traveler. I am Raiah, and these two over here are Geoin and Heoin. Twin brothers."

The two of them waved. Indeed, the way their light brown hair was brushed was exactly alike, the way they wore their green vests over their white shirts and blue pants was exactly alike. They gave cheesy grins.

"Fire… Country?" he whispered, looking at the three of them. Raiah's smiling, delicate, pale face suddenly became worried, and she brushed a lock of blond hair away from her light brown eyes.

"You… don't know what that is?" she said, and then pointed at the headband she was wearing. "Do you know what this is?"

"No. Sorry… it looks like just a headband to me."

"Just a headband…" Raiah whispered, and shook her head. "This is one serious case of amnesia."

Geoin and Heoin nodded, at the same time. "Doesn't even know the ninja basics, I bet."

The man frowned. "Ninja? What about ninjas?"

Raiah offered her hand, and pulled him up with a stunning amount of strength. He found that he towered over her. She could be no older then 12, the twins no older then 18.

"Well, since I don't know your real name, I'll just call you… Kinen! Because it means memory." She said, smiling. "Ironic, huh?"

"Errm… yeah… ironic." Kinen said, frowning, but following the small group as they left the trees, heading for a village in the distance.

* * *

It was huge. Kinen stared at it in wonder, amazed by how they could construct such a city out of only wood, and various other materials. 

"This is Hitoku. It's a place where people who don't have anywhere else to go can find shelter. It's near water, and resources are easy to find. Sure, there are some people here with not so okay reasons for running away, but it's meant to be shelter for anyone who needs it." Raiah explained. Kinen nodded. A few people waved jovially as they entered, though they gave Kinen strange looks.

"Sorry about them. They're just a bit wary of newcomers… they don't know if they could be thieves, or they could be followed by people who want to capture the criminals within the city. They'll accept you, eventually." Geoin and Heoin said in perfect unison, before a girl called both of them over to a box full of something. They waved goodbye to Kinen and Raiah, then rushed off.

"What's with the cloak?" someone growled.

Kinen turned. "Me, hmm?" he asked, pointing at himself.

"Yeah, you. Wearing that cloak like you is some show-off. What you doing here?" the owner of the voice grumbled. He was bald, and seemed rather tough, thick muscles rippling up and down his huge arms.

"Bayou! Leave the new member alone!"

"I surprised you don't recognize it, Raiah." Bayou grumbled. "Isn't that cloak of those who killed you parents?"

Raiah shook her head. "Nahhh… it's just a coincidence. The Akatsuki would never leave one of their members out in the cold, and wearing their cloak too. It's impossible that he's one of them."

"Akatsuki?" Kinen pondered. "Who's that, hmm?"

"A band of really powerful criminals. They're ruthless… they're trying to rule the world, you know, the typical plot."

"And they killed your parents, hmm?"

"Yeah… they destroyed the entire village. It was these two guys fighting, and they battled so fiercely that they destroyed the town they battled in. I, among others, escaped the attack, but my parents didn't."

"Oh, hmm."

* * *

The room was small and cozy. There was a bed, a carpet on the floor, a small clock on the bedside table, and a dresser to hold clothes. 

"There are already some clothes in there for you." Raiah said, smiling at Kinen's wonder of the room. "You share the room with someone, but he barely ever comes back here on his journeys, so that's why there's one-"

Soft footsteps fell on the carpet as the figure easily swerved his way around Raiah. The only thing Kinen could see of the boy's form was his head, covered in messy red hair, and with large brown eyes. His skin was lightly tanned, and no smile graced his face. There were no emotions in that face. The rest of his body was covered by a tattered brown cloak, which was pulled tightly around him. He shuffled around in his cloak for a bit, before placing a small red stone on the top of the wardrobe. Kinen now saw that there were other things up there too. Mostly various shiny rocks and such, but there were also small jeweled objects and a brown bag, drawn up tightly. The boy turned, and Kinen now found the dark brown eyes piercing his.

There was a small pause where neither person said anything. Finally, the red haired boy spoke.

"I'm going out, Raiah. Tell my roommate not to touch my stuff." The boy said, and then he left, swerving back around Raiah, who looked slightly stunned that he had shown up.

"Of course." She said, staring at the ground as he went by.

"Is that… him, hmm?" Kinen said, as the figure vanished out of sight.

"Yeah." Raiah said, letting out a small breath. "Jesus, he's so creepy."

"What's his name, hmm?"

"He never told us. He didn't really tell us much of anything. But he says he's a really good thief. Calls himself The Red Scorpion." Raiah said, slowly. "Keeps to himself, mostly. The others don't trust him, though. After he arrived, some of our best fighters started disappearing. They still haven't turned up… but it stopped after a few days. And new people keep coming every day, so, I guess we got them back after a while… but some of the others think that he stole them away, somehow, and did something to him. I mean, I think he's creepy, but not THAT creepy."

Kinen just nodded at this explanation. "So, what stuff shouldn't I touch, hmm?"

"Just the stuff on the top of the wardrobe. That's random stuff he brings back from his journeys. Looks like shiny rocks to me, except for those trinkets… I especially like the bracelet. And I don't know what's in the bag… I'm sure it's something special."

"Oh, hmm." Kinen said.

Raiah looked at him, and her frown turned to a smile. "You should probably get some sleep. It's getting late. Tomorrow, I'll take you on a tour of the city. That'll be fun."

Kinen glanced at her. She started to leave, but Kinen called her name.

"Raiah, hmm!"

She stopped. "Yeah, Kinen?"

"Why are you helping me, hmm?"

Raiah thought about it for a second. "I dunno. If I forgot everything, I'd want to be helped too."

And with that she was gone.

Kinen sat on the edge of the bed, trying to draw in everything like a sponge, so he wouldn't forget overnight. He closed his eyes for a second, just thinking and remembering everything. And before he realized it, his body had sunk into the soft bed, and he was asleep.

_Was he looking at himself?_

_Kinen blinked, gazing at the figure in the mirror. Blond hair, some of it brushed over his right eye, and some pulled into a huge ponytail. Was he really that pale? He reached one hand up, and the other mimicked him. He wore the same cloak, with the large neckband, black and covered in red clouds. Then, the other him started making the movements, pushing the hair away to reveal his right eye being completely mechanical._

_Kinen gasped in shock as the other him gave an evil grin._

"_Are you afraid of your memories, Deidara?" asked his roommate, appearing next to the other him in the mirror. The Red Scorpion and his other self chuckled._

"_Is that my name?" Kinen asked._

"_Your true one, yes, hmm." The other him said._

"_Tell me more about me… please. I need to know."_

"_There is a difference between want and need, Deidara." The Red Scorpion said. "For now… just wake up… wake up… wake up…"_

"WAKE UP, BONEHEAD!" Raiah said, giving him a swift crack over the head.

Deidara shot up in bed. "Oww, hmm! That hurt!" he grumbled.

"You wouldn't have woken up if I'd left you there, Kinen." Raiah said, moving towards the door. "Let's get going. I want to give you a tour."

"That's not my name, hmm."

"What?" Raiah asked, turning. "Did you remember your real one? Great! What is it?"

"Deidara."

There was a long, uncomfortable pause, and then Raiah began to laugh. "You're funny, Kinen!"

"No. Really. I had this dream where I was-"

"YOUR NAME IS KINEN!" Raiah screeched, stunning Deidara. "Your. Name. Is. Kinen! Don't joke around with that name, you idiot, because if you just spout it like nothing you'll get yourself killed here." Raiah seethed.

"Wha-?"

"Meet me outside. I'll start the tour." Raiah said, her voice like daggers, and then the door slammed. And Deidara was left alone in silence.

He didn't say anything, and then glanced to the door leading to the bathroom.

* * *

He stared into the mirror, waiting for that other him to start moving. But nothing happened. 

Indeed, brushing away the bang revealed his entire right eye made of metal. Exploring its capabilities revealed that it could zoom in and out. He could count the eyes of the spider on the wall.

"Probably should take a shower, too, hmm."

He found the shampoo, soap and towels. However, there was also a pair of scissors on the table. Glancing at his hairstyle in the mirror, a grin crossed Deidara's face.

There was no harm in a little haircut now and then.

* * *

Clean, and now wearing a simple olive green shirt and jeans, Deidara inspected his new haircut. Now, his hair was much shorter, though his bangs still fell in his eyes. He liked the slightly rebellious look it gave him. He hadn't found a way to keep the mechanical eye hidden, so he kept it in plain sight. With how Raiah described the village, it probably wouldn't make any difference. The Akatsuki cloak had been stuffed under the bed. 

He walked outside, finding that Raiah was no longer there. There was, however, a note.

"Kinen,

Sorry, but you were taking too long. I have some other things to do today. How about you just explore the city by yourself? Don't get in trouble, don't start any fights, and if you reach The Key Gate, don't go in. There's some bad stuff in that area. Have fun!"

Even the letter sounded pinched, and Deidara regretted telling Raiah his true name. Perhaps it would be best to go by Kinen for now. Shoving the letter in his pocket, he started to walk down the street that seemed best.

The tour had begun.


	2. Chapter 2

His footsteps echoed dimly against the walls of the buildings surrounding him in the small alleyway. However, it was bustling with people, who seemed to pay no attention to him whatsoever.

Deidara felt utterly invisible in the sea of people. It was okay, though. He had seen everything this city had to offer. A theater, a hospital (which didn't cure amnesia, unfortunately) and a marketplace, which had been twice as crowded and three times as noisy as all the other parts of the city put together. But it was a wonderful place. Deidara loved it.

Had he once lived in a city like this? Maybe even bigger, even more crowded. His mind reeled with the possibilities. During his travels all over the city, various people had told him of the ninja way. Running up trees? Genin, Chunin, ANBU? It all sounded so amazing, Deidara wondered why he had forgotten something so intricate and astounding. Then again, why had he forgotten his name? Something equally important, and yet it had all been wiped from his mind in one go. But now he took the time to get things right. He had asked those people to recite the information at least three times each while he memorized the info, desperate not to forget it again.

And then, the crowd had vanished. Deidara looked around, and realized that he was in a plaza now. A totally empty plaza. Glancing upwards, he saw that at the far end was a gigantic gate, with a large keyhole in the middle. The Key Gate. Deidara stared, transfixed. It seemed to draw him in. He started to walk towards it…

"Hey." A voice from behind him said. Standing on top of the fountain that stood in the middle of the plaza was The Red Scorpion. He jumped down, cloak fluttering, and grabbed Deidara's shoulder harshly. "You don't want to go in there, Kinen. Those who have truly done badly… they are locked in there. And they don't come out. They made the mistake of thinking that Hitoku was a place they could hide from those trying to capture them. But, in turn… they became captured. And they'll never get out."

Deidara blinked slowly, and then turned away. "Whoa, hmm."

"I suppose that's one way to put it." The Red Scorpion said. "Let's get out of here. That place gives even me the creeps."

* * *

And they were back at the house again. Deidara kicked off his black sandals and wiggled his toes in the carpet.

"You didn't mess up the bathroom, right?" The Red Scorpion said, glancing at Deidara.

"Ahh… I cut my hair, but I cut it over the trash bin, hmm."

The Red Scorpion decided to investigate. "CHRIST! Just how much hair do you have?!" he grumbled, hoisting up the trashcan full to the brim of blond hair.

"I have really thick hair, I guess, hmm." Deidara said, shrugging.

"You gu-… oh yeah, you got amnesia. Second case I've ever seen enter Hitoku."

"Second, hmm?"

"I was the first…" The Red Scorpion said, then shook his head. "Why am I being so open to you?!"

"I dunno. You're being nice, hmm?" Deidara said, voice full of sarcasm.

"Oh, forget it." The Red Scorpion said, walking out the door. "I've got some other things to do. Don't touch my stuff."

And with that, he was out the door. Deidara frowned. The Red Scorpion had been nice there, for a while, and they had been talking like they were old friends. And then he had clammed up, and left.

Deidara felt tired, suddenly. So tired. He laid his head against his pillow, and closed his eyes. And let himself slip into the realm of dreams.

* * *

_He was standing on a ledge. Watching… himself. He was standing next to some… lion creature thing. They both wore the black cloak with red clouds on it._

"_Done yet, Deidara? You know I hate waiting…"_

"_Yeah yeah, hmm. Almost, Master Sasori." The other him said, opening his palm. The mouth in it was chewing, and then it spit out some clay. He began to mold it until it formed the shape of a bird. Placing his hands into a handsign, the bird grew to a larger size._

"_What do you think of my art, Master Sasori, hmm?" The other him asked, grinning at the lion-like creature._

"_That piece of crap, Deidara? You call that art?" Sasori grumbled. "Just get moving."_

"_Got it."_

And then he awoke. Deidara sat up, noticing that it was night now. He glanced at the mouths in his palms, which grinned at him.

"Is… that what they do, hmm? They make clay…" Deidara mused.

"Well? Get out of bed." The Red Scorpion said, making Deidara jump.

"Huh?" Deidara asked.

"If you honestly think I'm going to share the bed with you, you're nuts." The Red Scorpion said. "Now get out."

"Oh… but where do I sleep, hmm?"

"You'll figure that out." The Red Scorpion said, taking his place on the bed as Deidara lay down on the floor.

"Oh… well, good night."

"You too, sleepy head." The Red Scorpion grumbled. "Took you long enough to wake up... I hate… waiting…"

Deidara's eyes shot open. "What?"

But the Red Scorpion was already fast asleep. Deidara shook his head. Coincidence… pure coincidence.

* * *

When Deidara woke up the next morning, the Red Scorpion was gone. There was no note of his leaving, but the small brown bag that had resided atop the wardrobe was now gone.

Deidara took another shower, this time choosing some khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. It was grey and cloudy, unlike yesterday's happy-go-lucky sunny skies. That didn't stop the bustling crowds of people, who were still out and about.

However, he didn't expect to find Raiah outside, looking cheerful as ever.

"Did you get to see the city?"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, hmm. I cut my hair, too, hmm."

"I can see that." Raiah said, nodding appreciatively. "Nice eye."

"Oh, yeah. It can zoom in on things, hmm."

Raiah smiled. "And where's your roommate?"

"Took off, I suppose, hmm."

"Typical. Anyway, someone sent you a package. I found it just outside the city's walls. It has your name on it…"

She handed him the package. He read the tag, hoping to see the name Deidara, but it read Kinen in hastily scribbled kanji.

"Oh… cool. Thanks, Raiah, hmm."

"Anytime." She said, and with that was lost in the crowd.

Deidara walked back inside, opening the package. It was a green bag, with a clip, so it could clip to your belt or waistband. It felt heavy, so Deidara opened it.

It was a fine powder, almost beige in color. Deidara only stared at it.

"What does this do, hmm?" he mused, and closed the bag. Well, he got some powder, but didn't know what to do with it. And the package didn't even have a name on it from who sent it.

Deidara sat down at the table, glaring at the bag. Then, an idea reaching his brain, he reached his hand into the bag. Indeed, his hand gulped some up. Deidara watched with fascination as the hand spit out a wad of clay a few seconds later. He closed his hand, and then opened it to reveal a small bird. It glanced at him, cocking its head to one side in utter confusion.

"Nice talent." The Red Scorpion said, glancing over Deidara's shoulder. Deidara jumped slightly at his sudden appearance, causing the bird to take flight. It flew in dizzy circles around the area.

"Where did you come from, hmm?!"

"I came back from my errands." The Red Scorpion said, showing Deidara a small rock, smooth as glass, and light blue with dark blue lines across the surface. "That's some pretty good art."

And with that, he placed the rock on top of the wardrobe, and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Deidara stared at the small clay bird, which had landed on the table. Then, the door banged open, revealing Geoin and Heoin. They both looked distressed, and one of them was bleeding from the forehead.

"Attackers! They're attacking the city!" they both shouted in unison.

"What?! Who, hmm?!" Deidara cried.

Heoin and Geoin caught their breath for a second before responding. "The Akatsuki! The Akatsuki are attacking!"


	3. Chapter 3

Without a word, Deidara sprang from his chair, pushing past the twins. He found his roommate right beside him, as well as the clay bird he had created, which was fluttering his tiny wings as fast as possible to keep up.

"We'll never get there in time!" The Red Scorpion grumbled. "Curse this body. If I was just a bit older…"

"You'll grow up in time, hmm." Deidara said, giving a small smirk.

"I wish that was true…"

Deidara's eyes widened as he was hit with an idea. "Hold on!" he said, placing his hands into the handsign as best he could remember. With a small poof, the bird grew to the size of a car.

"Better." The Red Scorpion mused. "Well then, let's fly!"

* * *

The battlefield wasn't a pretty sight. The small wall that bordered the city had been completely crushed by what seemed to be gigantic vines. Deidara and the Red Scorpion could only stare in shock as the vines crashed down, the people in their path only narrowly avoiding them. They were putting up the good fight, but they seemed to be no match for the vines.

"Go down here." The Red Scorpion commanded, and Deidara did so, the bird diving, though how he did it he wasn't sure. They both landed, jumping off.

"Who's controlling the vines, hmm?" Deidara said, seeing no possible source.

"Him, probably." The Red Scorpion said, pointing to a figure standing on top of the highest vine.

He wore an Akatsuki cloak; the shape was instantly recognizable. However, his hair was spiky, and his face hidden by an orange mask, which swirled into a single eyehole.

"Well, if it isn't Pinocchio and the Big Bad Wolf." The figure said, and chuckled. Then, he jumped off the vine, coming down at least 14 feet, but landing smoothly and without injury.

"Big Bad Wolf, hmm?" Deidara said, not sure to be offended or not.

"He huffs and he puffs and he blows the town up. No, wait, that's not right. Ehh, whatever." The man said, and gave a small laugh. Deidara couldn't see anything behind the mask, but he swore he could feel the smirk emanating off him. "So, why are you strutting around this shithole of a town, huh? Just felt the Akatsuki was too tough?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" The Red Scorpion said, narrowing his eyes. "The Akatsuki? I have no such dealings with that-"

"Aww, Sasori, playing dumb? That's so beneath you. I mean, after you made your own parents into puppets, you'd think you'd stand a little taller. Hah!" the figure said, giving a small laugh, much like a bark.

Sasori's eyes widened. "Wh- what? I did no such thing!"

"Really? Then where are your parents? Hmm? Are they living here?" he sneered. "Honest, Sasori. Don't act like you don't know anything. You can try and put the past behind you, sure, but in the end you're still the same stupid puppet that we all came to know and love."

Sasori looked hurt by these comments. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts away. "I… I…"

"And Deidara! Oh, Deidara, I'm so happy to see you here. Not."

"You… know me, hmm?" Deidara asked, as the figure stepped closer.

"You, you, you know me, hmm?" the figure said, mocking him. "Don't you remember sweet little Tobi?"

"No…"

Tobi cleared his throat. "Tobi's a good boy!" he said enthusiastically.

"_Deidara-sempai!"_

"_What now, Tobi, hmm?" the other him growled, glaring at the figure beside him._

"_I've been assigned my beast I have!" Tobi said happily._

"_Oh. Great, hmm. What is it?" the other him said, obviously not pleased._

"_The three tailed squid, Deidara-sempai! Will you help me fight it?"_

"_Err… yeah, sure. Nothing better to do." The other him said._

"_Oh, thank you, Deidara-sempai! Tobi's a good boy, you'll see!"_

Deidara blinked, as the memory came back to him.

"Oh… that Tobi, hmm." He said, glancing back up at Tobi. Yes, it was the same exact person… but the personalities were so different.

"Yeah, you idiot. THAT Tobi. Just with some improvements." Tobi said. "Now, get back on the vines. We're taking you back."

"What?" The Red Scorpion said, finding the courage to speak. "Back to where?"

"To the base, you twits! Stop playing that dumb act on me. It'll save you face here, but does that matter? You won't need to come here any more." Tobi seethed. "We're taking you back to base. With every loss of a member, it gets harder and harder to seal the Tailed Beasts. We need you back at base, so get on the vines and let's get moving."

"No. I told you, we're not part of the Akatsuki. If we once were, fine, but we're not now. Leave and stop destroying the village." Sasori said, glaring at Tobi.

"My. Feisty. I can see why you two got along, you know… before you died and all, Sasori."

"Died?" Sasori said. "Impossible. I'm standing here, alive and well."

"Ahh, yeah, see… that part we can't figure out. I suppose it's a blessing, though, since we get you two back for one nice price. And I get to destroy a village."

"We…" murmured a voice from atop another vine. Another person, wearing the cloak; however he seemed to be part venus flytrap, for the leaves protruded from his head. "We get to destroy the village."

"Yeah, whatever, Zetzu. Shut up, this is my moment in the spotlight, go back to killing people." Tobi shot at him. Zetzu frowned, but did as he was told.

"No. You try to destroy the village; I'll have to kill you." Sasori said, teeth gritted. He pulled a small scroll from his cloak, and opened it.

"What? You going to spit some puppets at me, Sasori? Oh, I'm scared. Look at how many people there are around you, Sasori… if you try to battle with your poison gas, you'll kill more people then you expected."

While Tobi was talking, Deidara realized that the bag of powder was still on his belt. He reached his hand in. Perhaps he could create a shield of clay for the villagers… but how would that protect them from poison gas? His mouth chewed quietly before spitting out a wad of clay. Deidara started molding it. He closed his eyes. A bomb. A bomb would be nice. Perhaps the clay could explode… he opened his eyes to find a small clay doll. He frowned. This was a bomb?

_Everything you make can explode, the other him chided. This is your specialty… this is the most explosive thing you have. Just say Katsu when it's in place! That's the detonation word._

Deidara thought this over, then made it slightly bigger… about the size of his head.

"Hey, Tobi, hmm."

"What?" Tobi said, glancing at him. "Made up your mind to rejoin us?"

"No. HOT POTATO, hmm!" Deidara cried, and threw the doll to Tobi, who caught it.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?!" Tobi said, glancing at it. However, Sasori seemed to recognize it.

"Everybody duck for cover NOW!" he said, and the crowd scattered to hide behind buildings and other such things.

Deidara glanced at Sasori, and Sasori nodded. "Do it."

Tobi figured out what was going on. "What? Hey, you wouldn't-"

"Katsu!" Deidara cried, and the area was lit up with a shimmering light for a second. Tobi had tried to drop it, but it was too late.

BABOOOM! The explosion was bigger then Deidara had thought. He and Sasori were thrown back like toys, rolling across the ground before skidding to a stop a few feet away.

* * *

The vines were charred to bits. Tobi lay on the ground, smoking slightly. Zetzu jumped down, and poked Tobi a little. He glanced up at Deidara and Sasori, who were groaning and trying to get up, then simply picked Tobi up and vanished, the vines retreating into the ground.

The villagers rushed over, helping the two up.

Deidara gave a small grin. "Thanks, hmm."

However, their faces were frowns, not smiles. Some looked worried as well.

"Why is everyone frowning? We just fought them off! We're safe." Sasori said, brushing off his cloak.

Raiah emerged from the crowd. She looked close to tears.

"Raiah…?" Deidara whispered. He reached out a hand, but she slapped it away.

"Take them to the gate." She whispered.

"Huh?" Deidara said. "The gate, hmm?"

"They are members of the Akatsuki." Raiah said, louder, fighting through her tears. "And therefore, must be placed inside the Key Gate."


	4. Chapter 4

"_It's a boy." The doctor said, handing the baby boy to the woman. The woman smiled, tickling the baby, who giggled happily._

"_Excuse me, doctor, but what's this mark on his chest?" the man said, glancing to the doctor._

"_We don't know, but it's nothing serious. He seems to have no trouble breathing or such. Just keep an eye on it, and if anything happens, bring him right back here."_

"_Thank you."_

_The scene changed, from a hospital to a small, rather barren village. It was mostly dust, with a few patches of grass here and there. A boy, only about 7, made his way to a group of children playing ball._

"_Can I play?" the boy asked, brushing blond locks out of his eyes._

"_Aren't you that kid from the orphanage?"_

"_Oh… yeah. Is that a problem?" the boy asked, looking worried._

"_Nuh uh, no problem at all!" the children enthused. "Okay, catch!"_

_They threw the ball, and the blond haired boy caught it. However, it popped as it touched his hands._

"_I'm sorry!" the blond haired boy cried._

"_That's okay. But… what popped it?"_

_They ran over, and the blond haired boy opened his hands to reveal mouths in them, teeth sharp and gleaming. The children screamed, as did the boy._

"_He's a freak! A freak!"_

_"My hands!"_

_The scene changed again._

_The boy was about 12 now. His skin dirty, his clothing ragged. It was now in the same village, but a marketplace, stalls filled with wares. The boy's blond hair was longer now… he had probably been without a haircut for a few years._

"_Bread…" he whispered, seeing a stall with steaming loaves piled high. He snuck over… and grabbed a loaf._

"_Hey! Thief!" the man cried, as the boy fled. However, he was caught by two guards, and thrown to the ground._

"_Deidara… you know what the price is for stealing in Iwagakure's market."_

"_I'm sorry!" Deidara gasped. "I'll give it back!"_

"_It's contaminated! By… that FREAK'S HANDS!" the seller cried. "I won't take it back now! Punish him! Punish the freak!"_

_One guard took out a kunai._

"_No… please… have mercy!" Deidara cried._

"_We don't have mercy on freaks." The guard whispered. There was a vicious stabbing sound, and Deidara cried out in pain._

"_Oh god! Oh god! HELP MEEEE!"_

_The scene changed. It was a back alley. Deidara sat, in the corner, hungry and weak. He put a hand to the small socket where his eye had once been. That had been one year ago…_

"_Hello?"_

_Deidara looked up, seeing a woman standing there. "Don't come closer."_

"_Why not?" the lady said, taking a few steps towards him._

"_I'm a freak! I'll contaminate you…"_

"_Well now… that sounds rather menacing." The lady said, getting down on one knee so she was face to face with Deidara. Deidara could see her eyes, pale and pupiless. She was blind._

"_Shall we be freaks together?"_

_The scene changed again, this time to a lavish mansion. The woman was sitting at a couch, gazing at a spiraling staircase._

"_Deidara, come on down."_

_Deidara descended the steps. He seemed to be about 18 now. Some of his hair was in a ponytail now, the rest brushed over his empty socket. He wore better clothing now, and was cleaner._

"_How do you feel? I know you're used to cotton but…"_

"_Wonderful."_

"_Oh, if only I could see you." Then, she gasped. "This reminds me. I might be able to."_

_Deidara's face lit up with happiness. "Really?! That's great!"_

"_Yes, there is a surgery that I can take that will make my eyes normal… and also, I recently had some technology delivered from the Cloud village. We can replace your eye as well."_

_Deidara suddenly found his arms wrapping around her. "Thank you!" he cried, jubilantly._

_The woman chuckled. "You're quite welcome. We'll both be able to see to our full capacity, won't we? We'll be a team."_

"_The best." Deidara replied._

_The scene changed again, this one to a hospital room. Deidara blinked his eyes open, then looked to the mirror, brushing the hair out of his face. A mechanical eye stared back at him._

"_I can see!" he whispered to himself._

_The doctor came in. "Do you like it?"_

"_Yeah!" Deidara said happily. "But how is she?"_

"_Oh… your guardian? She's fine. She should be up in a couple weeks."_

_Deidara smiled._

"_For now, get your rest. We'll see if your body accepts the eye."_

_Now it was night._

"_I'm sorry, Deidara, but your guardian has a minor infection. We'll see if she pushes through."_

_Late afternoon._

"_Her body isn't accepting the eyes correctly."_

_Night again._

"_I'm afraid she's dead."_

_The scene changed again. Deidara was standing outside of the hospital, watching it burn to the ground. He chuckled._

"_Take that, you sick bastards." He growled._

_Another scene change. Deidara was walking across the desert. Long, endless stretches of desert. He looked about 20 now._

"_Excuse me. You're Deidara, right?" asked a man behind him. Deidara whipped around._

"_So what if I am?"_

"_We have need of your skills, Deidara. You see, we're a small group of bombers for hire. Terrorist bombers, you would say. And we think you'd be a great addition to the team."_

_Deidara thought about it. "What's in it for me?"_

_Another scene change. Deidara was sitting at a table, writing something down. "Rocks, gravel, gunpowder and clay mix…" he whispered, "makes a clay mixture that can explode. Rather then throwing bombs, I believe that this is the power spoken of in the books. The Palm Mouths, able to create living, breathing art. With chakra, they become weapoms that follow your every order!"_

_Deidara grinned. "I believe I have found my passion. Art! I was born into it! Therefore… I shall worship it. I have nothing else to turn to…"_

_There was a small pause, then he gave a small laugh. "Long live art!"_

_Another scene change. Now, Deidara was facing down a man with black hair, wearing the Akatsuki cloak. Deidara was about 23 now and his hair just a bit longer. A village loomed behind them, though which one it was could not be discerned from the outside._

"_What do you want?" Deidara grumbled. "You called me over here in the middle of a pretty high class job. My client isn't going to be happy..."_

"_I don't want your work, Deidara. I want your talents."_

_"The difference being...__?" Deidara grumbled._

"_The Palm Mouths… a gift given only to 1 in every 1 million children. The power to make living art. Plus… the mouth in your chest allows you to make yourself into a living bomb. I belive that the group I work for could use these talents, to a greater purpose then... flying around blowing people's heads off."_

_Deidara frowned. "You know a lot, don't you? Been doing your studying?"_

_The man smiled, but didn't reply._

"_And what if I don't come with you?"_

_The man gave Deidara a sharp kick to the chest, sending him flying backwards. Deidara hit a rock, and slid down it. He wheezed slightly. Something had been damaged there, he could feel it._

"_I have orders to kill you if you don't comply." The man said._

_Deidara gasped for air. "Really, hmm?" he said, the grunt at the end his gasp for extra air._

_He stood up. "Kill me if you can, hmm. May I know your name before I kick your ass, hmm?"_

_A small pause. "Itachi Uchiha." Itachi said._

_Another scene change. Deidara stood in front of a shadowy figure. He was surrounded by others._

"_Deidara. Do you choose to join the Akatsuki?"_

"_I do. Feels like a fucking wedding, though, hmm."_

"_Stick to the program, Deidara. Take this kunai."_

_Zetzu appeared from the shadows, handing Deidara a kunai._

"_Slit the heel of your hand, draw your own blood, and cross your headband, in defiance of the village that so cruelly taunted you and called you a freak."_

"_With pleasure, hmm." Deidara said, and slit the heel of his hand, the tip of the kunai covered in blood, and slashed through the symbol on his headband. "And I'm never going back, hmm."_

"_Welcome, Deidara, to the Akatsuki." The shadowy figure said. "I am Pein, your leader. Respect my authority at all times."_

"_Yeah yeah, I get it, hmm."_

"_Your partner will be Sasori." The leader said, gesturing to a small, red headed boy._

"_What the hell, hmm?! He's just a kid."_

_Suddenly, a needle tipped with poison found its way into Deidara's neck._

"_Sasori! Stop poisoning your partners!"_

_Another scene change. He and Sasori were sitting on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a beautiful sunset._

"_Deidara…" Sasori mused._

"_Yes, Master Sasori, hmm?"_

"_You know of my past… but you have never told me yours."_

_There was a small pause. "May I learn of it?"_

"_I don't like to talk about it, hmm." Deidara said._

_Sasori looked disappointed. "Fair enough." He said._

"_And no truth serums either, hmm."_

"_You know me too well, Deidara."_

Deidara opened his eyes. He saw nothing above him. Just the tops of grey buildings and black sky. It was night, probably. Looking around, he saw Sasori, also waking up.

"Where are we?" the boy mused.

"I think we're inside the Key Gate."

"Crap! We're in Key City." Sasori said, and then let out a vulgar curse in a language Deidara didn't understand.

"Is that bad, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Yeah. It is." Somebody said. The pair looked up, seeing a man with white hair that fell to his shoulders.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" the man grumbled, drawing out a three bladed scythe.


	5. Chapter 5

**The last update was in August… holy fuck, what the hell have I been doing?! Facepalm much?**

**Sorry for the delay. I've been working on a lot of other projects and totally forgot about this one. Whoops… I hope most of you are still reading it. Please forgive me for the wait. I'm working on it again now, so you'll be seeing some more updates.**

* * *

Hidan glanced at the two, who were getting up slowly now. Deidara's bionic eye was on the fritz, spinning wildly. Apparently, something had been done to it to short it out somehow, and now all Deidara saw in one eye was a blur of color. He closed it to avoid making himself dizzy.

"E-excuse me?" Sasori said, glancing the man up and down. His body was toned, skin slightly tanned, and he wore a white sleeveless shirt with pants so covered in grime, dirt and blood that the original color could not be determined. It was brown now.

"I asked what you two were doing here. It's been a while." The man said, offering a hand and pulling up the two. "We heard that some guys were being put in Key City, but my scouts weren't sure what to make of you bitches…"

"So… you're from the Akatsuki, hmm?" Deidara asked.

The man frowned. "So the rumors are true. Fuck." He said, and then shook his head, chuckling. "Well then, I'll have to introduce myself, since you guys can't remember a damn thing. I'm Hidan."

Suddenly, he paused as someone ran up behind him. It was a female, with a tantalizingly short shirt, and a blue top that had been ripped to reveal her midriff. She brushed long brown locks away from her face.

"Yeah?" Hidan asked. "What is it?"

"Seryou's causing a ruckus… again." She said, then glanced at Deidara and gave a small wink, puckering up her lips. "Hey there, sweet thing."

Deidara blushed, but before he could reply, Hidan was pushing her away. "Hey hey hey! No flirting, bitch!" he grumbled, and the girl giggled.

"Fine. Mighty cute friends you have there, though." She said. Sasori glanced over at Deidara, who was still blushing madly, and felt rather… jealous? Uhh, no. Obviously, he wanted the female for himself. That was it.

"Seryou again, huh?" Hidan grumbled. "That fucking ass whore. So, is it a protest or is he throwing firebombs again?"

"Firebombs." The female said, rolling her eyes. "I gotta get back to the bar. See you later."

And, with that, she took off. Hidan placed a hand to his head.

"Come on, guys. Let's get going…" Hidan said, waiting for the two to get up, before walking off. Deidara and Sasori glanced at each other, and then followed him.

While the outside had been clean, bright, and well kept, this place was the opposite. The streets were covered in grime. Buildings that weren't being used for strip clubs and sports bars were broken, decript and dirty. Neon signs flickered and flashed as they passed, and bums seemed to be in every dark alley. Hidan would look behind him every so often.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Deidara asked.

"To make sure you guys aren't being raped or something."

"But, we're guys, hmm."

"Hey, this is a crazy town." Hidan said, smirking. "There's a bunch of fucked up people here… don't get lost. In fact, usually people buddy up 'round here."

Deidara glanced at Sasori, who glared back. "Touch me and you die."

* * *

The room was smoky, but mostly empty, save for a few late night card players or pool players. Small lamps that hung from the ceiling illuminated the tables and the bar, though they occasionally flickered.

Hidan placed his feet on the table, glancing at Deidara and Sasori. They didn't say anything for a while.

"So… did you lose your memory, Hidan, hmm?" Deidara asked, finally.

"Nope." Hidan said, giving a small grin. "I didn't die, that's why. I just got crushed for a while."

"Because… you're immortal." Sasori said, slowly.

"Yep." Hidan said, nodding. "I think it has something to do with dying, yeah?"

"Maybe it's reincarnation, hmm." Deidara said, and then noticed Hidan giving him a death glare.

"Hey, you can talk about your stupid religious crap somewhere else. Jashin doesn't allow fucking reincarnations." Hidan said, ignoring the fact that he was the only Akatsuki member to worship Jashin. He grabbed a martini off a nearby platter, and sucked it down in one gulp. "So are you guys still gay for each other or what?"

Sasori went pale. "Whaaaaaat?!" he said, breaking his "devil may care" exterior for a second for complete and total outrage.

"You heard me, Mister Akasuna no Yaoi." Hidan said, smirking and drinking yet another martini. "Geez, I had the room next to you at the base… damn those thin walls. I never got a fucking moment's rest unless you guys were out on a mission. Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Deidara was clutching the edge of the table as if his life depended on it, his skin pale, and his non mechanical eye was wide in terror. Sasori glanced at him for a second.

"I think he's tired." Sasori concluded.

Hidan laughed. "Sure, let's go with that."

* * *

_It was a library. Even without books, you can tell a place is a library because of its smell._

_It smells like history, it smells like fantasy, it smells like comfort. And it is always warm, on a cold rainy day, like this one. Deidara turned back, seeing the pour down outside. And Sasori._

"_You're really not bothered, hmm?" Deidara asked. "We can always come back later."_

"_Just go find your stupid book, Deidara. Stop apologizing." Sasori said. "I'll be in the history section."_

"_Typical, hmm." Deidara said, watching Sasori's lips curl into a smile._

"_Indeed." Sasori mused, before shuffling off into the correct section._

_The library was deserted, really. There were a couple people, reading books of various types, but they paid no attention to the two. It was like they weren't even there. Deidara made his way up the spiraling staircases, to the upper floor. There, the reference section. He walked along the isles, looking at the titles closely._

"_If you're looking for rare books, they're in that room right over there." An old man said. Deidara was too confused to ask how the old man knew what he was looking for… he just entered._

_The walls in the cramped room were obscured entirely by floor to ceiling bookshelves. There was, however, the occasional window, though they were closed and the views obscured by dark rose curtains. Deidara paused, gently shutting the heavy wood door behind him. He wasn't sure where to start… the books seemed entirely out of order, as though someone had read all of them, and not bothering to organize them, put them back in completely random order._

"_This is hopeless, hmm." Deidara grumbled. Perhaps Sasori-danna could've helped… no, he was too short. There seemed to be no stepladder… what if his book was on the very top shelf?! Perhaps his clay birds could fetch them, if it was needed._

"_What if your book's not here?" came the voice of the old man. Deidara whipped around._

"_What if… my books not here?"_

"_That's what I said. You're looking for The Book Of Darkness, right?"_

_Deidara slowly nodded. "Indeed, old man. But how do you know all this, hmm?"_

"_I know many things, Deidara." The old man replied, giving a small smile. It made the skin around his eyes crinkle._

"_So, is it here?"_

"_It is. The only one left. Many have come looking for it… none have found it here. But you have the gift of the palm mouths, so therefore, you may read it."_

_The old man walked over to an old looking desk, and pulled open the drawer. Inside was a book, bound in worn old black leather. The pages were yellowed with age, though the text still bold, and readable. The old man delicately pulled the book out of the drawer, and handed it to Deidara, who seemed rather stunned to be holding it._

"_You may read, but this book may not be checked out, nor is it for sale. Do you see a barcode on it, Deidara?"_

"_No, hmm."_

"_You can steal it. Hide it under that cloak of yours, and walk out the front doors. No alarm will ring, as it does for all the other books you see here. But, be warned… even though you have the powers of legend, the book's powers will not hold back on you, or the ones you love. I am telling you now, before you go and try to steal it. It would be a shame to see such a world changing gift go to waste."_

_And with that, the old man exited the room, leaving Deidara in the muggy silence with only his gentle breathing and the patter of the rain on the rooftops to break it. Suddenly, Sasori pushed open the door._

"_Just checking on you to make sure you didn't get a paper cut and bleed to death." Sasori said, glancing at him from half lidded eyes. "Did you find it?"_

"_Yeah, hmm. Did you see an old man on your way over here?"_

"_Old man? No." Sasori said. "There's nobody else up here. Nobody wants to read reference books. Well, anyways, come get me when you're done reading."_

_Deidara paused, and glanced at the book in his hands. Here was the answer to his questions. Everything about the Palm Mouths. He found his hands trembling as they opened the book, his eyes scanning the Table Of Contents._

"_Come on, come on, come on…" he mumbled, frowning. "Ahh, Palm Mouths."_

_He sunk into a chair, and began to read._

* * *

Deidara woke up, gently, to faint sun coming in through the window. He yawned, stretching, and rolled over… to come face to face with Sasori. His eye shot open, but rather then screaming, he gently edged out of the bed, falling to the floor with a gentle thunk.

He only had his pants on, and the floor was very, very cold against his bare skin. Deidara covered his mouth to keep from yelping. Did this place have no heater?!

Sasori woke up, and peered over at Deidara, who froze. Did Sasori know that he had just been… that they had been…?

"Good morning, Deidara." Sasori said stiffly. "I wouldn't suggest sleeping on the floor in this kind of place, but you do what you like."

Deidara let out a sigh of relief. So he didn't know. Good. But, then, who had put Sasori in the same bed as Deidara?

"Good morning, muthafuckers!" Hidan said cheerfully, pushing open the door. However, seeing Deidara on the floor, his face fell. "So Deidara sleeps on the floor?"

"Yes. Have a problem with that?" Sasori said, glaring at Hidan. Hidan quickly smiled again.

"No, no. Not at all. Well, anyways. Welcome to your first day in Key City. It's going to be quite a ride, so keep all arms, feet, heads and other certain extremities inside the vehicle at all times. Get dressed; I'll wait for you outside."

The door slammed shut. Sasori turned to Deidara. "Did you have any strange dreams last night?"

"No, hmm." Deidara lied.

"Good. Me neither." Sasori lied.

There. They were even.


End file.
